The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 60 The Key Player! A Historic Final! Mainz in Big Trouble! What a Rewarding Season!

The day after Mainz's 2-0 away win against Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Hamburg drew 1-1 in the North-South derby in Hamburg, which went into extra time.

The two teams eventually went to penalties to decide the winner.

Bayern Munich ultimately eliminated Hamburg 4-2.

Klinsmann's team has always been inconsistent and fluctuating.

You could even say she's a bit neurotic.

They took the lead early in the first half thanks to a corner kick goal by Lucio.

However, they were unable to establish an advantage for a long time afterward.

In the second half, Hamburg's Olic scored a goal to equalize the score.

Although Bayern Munich eventually made it to the German Cup final, neither the course of the match nor the team's performance was satisfactory.

The only positive is that this victory saved Klinsmann's coaching career at Bayern Munich.

At the very least, he can finish the season without being sacked midway through.

However, after playing Hamburg, they returned to the Allianz Arena for the 29th round of the Bundesliga, where Bayern lost 0-1 to Schalke 04 at home.

Altintop's goal in the 21st minute helped Schalke 04 pull off a surprise away win.

Hoffenheim also lost 0-1 to Hertha Berlin at home in this round.

In their away match against Hannover 96, Mainz conceded two goals in the 19th and 32nd minutes of the first half.

Interestingly, the goal scorer for Hannover 96 was none other than Leo Andreassen, the Danish midfielder whom Klopp had once longed for but could not have.

He was once a key player for Mainz and a favorite of Klopp, excelling in both offense and defense.

Unfortunately, due to the transfer fee, Mainz was unable to buy the player outright from Werder Bremen.

After returning to Werder Bremen, Leo Andreasson was sold to Fulham in the English Premier League for €430 million.

However, he failed to perform well at Fulham, and in January 2009, he was sold to Hannover 96 for 2.5 million euros.

Wang Shuo came on as a substitute in the second half of this match.

In the 77th minute, he orchestrated an attack, with Amri assisting Bansey to score a goal.

Ultimately, Mainz lost 1-2 to Hannover 96 away from home.

However, Wolfsburg, who have been on a winning streak recently, defeated Cottbus 2-0 away in this round.

……

From a five-game winless streak to a three-game winning streak, and now to a four-game losing streak.

If Mainz's performance in the first half of the season was stable, then their performance in the second half was like a rollercoaster ride, with big ups and downs.

On the day the team lost to Hannover 96, Klopp took full responsibility at the post-match press conference.

He stated that he was willing to take responsibility for the team's recent four-game losing streak.

But he still insisted, "Our team has always been on the right track!"

However, the next day, he summoned Wang Shuo to his office again.

At this moment, Klopp lacked the confidence of the day before and was more troubled.

He first talked to Wang Shuo about the team's current situation.

Despite Mainz's poverty, their data analysis is quite sophisticated.

Peter Kravitz has very detailed data.

Mainz's biggest problem right now is the decline in the players' running ability.

Especially in the midfield.

Pekovic and Calhanoglu were truly exhausted.

Gunkel's form is somewhat inconsistent.

The problem is that Kirchhoff can run, but young people are prone to making mistakes and lack experience.

This is very contradictory.

"After the game against Leverkusen, the coaching staff and I realized the problems the team is facing now."

"Next, our team has two very important goals."

"First and foremost, the most important thing is the German Cup final, the match against Bayern Munich, which will be the focus of our preparations going forward."

Wang Shuo nodded silently as he listened to Klopp's words.

This marks the first time in Mainz's 100-year history that they have reached the German Cup final.

Everyone, from management to fans, from Klopp to the players, wants to win this game.

Winning the German Cup will qualify them for next season's Europa League.

Although it may only increase revenue by a few million euros, it's a lot of money for Mainz.

More importantly, this is the club's first significant championship trophy in its history.

For Klopp, in addition to the special significance at the club level, the most important thing is to defeat Bayern!

"What do you think of this final?" Klopp asked Wang Shuo with concern.

“你说的，从第4轮的主场1比3，到第21轮的客场1比1，我们一直都在进步。”

"At this rate, we should win this final."

Wang Shuo's words made Klopp laugh.

But after laughing, Klopp's expression held a hint of sadness.

"Did you know that Mainz has a history of over a hundred years, but it wasn't until 1999 that we had the opportunity to challenge Bayern Munich in an official match for the first time?"

Wang Shuo was quite surprised after hearing this.

It's quite surprising that two teams have never met in the past hundred years, despite Germany having many teams.

Of course, Klopp's words also had another meaning.

Mainz is too insignificant, too weak, and has no right to face Bayern.

For most of the past century, they have played in lower leagues, and their only chance to face Bayern Munich was in the German Cup.

But a weak team like Mainz is always eliminated in the first or second round of the German Cup.

How could there possibly be a chance to encounter the high and mighty Bayern Munich?

“I remember it very clearly.”

Klopp smiled and looked at Wang Shuo, "That was December 22, 1999. At that time, Bayern Munich was still at the Munich Olympic Stadium, that open-air stadium. The Allianz Arena hadn't been built yet."

"Mainz's head coach at the time was my mentor, Wolfgang Frank, and the match was the quarter-final of the German Cup."

"I was on that team at the time, playing right-back, as was Kramny, and Neustädter, who played center-back."

"Buvac was no longer in Mainz at that time."

"You can tell by the fact that we old guys are still here. Our team was quite old back then, with an average age of 28. And then we got beaten 3-0 by Bayern away from home."

“We conceded the first goal very early, an own goal, scored by left-back Herzberg, caused by Bayern’s Babel.”

"Later, Janker scored a goal and provided an assist, and Santa Cruz also scored a goal."

"After that, it was my first season coaching in the Bundesliga. We lost 2-4 away and 2-4 at home."

"The second season was 1-2 away, then 2-2 at home. In between, we played a German Cup quarter-final, which was also at Bayern's home ground, the Allianz Arena, and we lost 2-3."

"In the third season, we lost 0-4 at home and 2-5 away."

"Next up is this season."

As Wang Shuo listened, he felt that the topic was somewhat heavy.

Mainz and Bayern are simply not in the same league.

So almost every encounter ended in a crushing defeat.

The best outcome would be a draw.

This was a truly hopeless match, one where there was absolutely no hope in sight!

Bayern Munich's form this season has indeed been poor.

But the question is, has Bayern Munich been in such good form all these years?
Bayern's deep-rooted strength allows them to easily defeat Mainz, even when they are not in good form.

Mainz, even if they just want to break through Bayern's goal, will go all out and give it their all.

"Do you know why I hate Bayern Munich so much?"

Klopp asked almost through gritted teeth.

Wang Shuo shook his head; he sensed Klopp's emotions.

“I remember that after I received Hoeneß’s call, the first person I told was Christian Haider.”

"At the time, Christian told me without hesitation, 'Go, Jürgen, this is your chance to change your destiny. You must go. The team will let you go unconditionally. You can go whenever you want.'"

"The only chance I ever had to change my destiny turned out to be nothing more than a casual joke from Hoeneß."

"The two Jürgens, they chose the respectable one, the one in the suit!"

By the end, Klopp was practically spitting out words.

With a full beard, he was indeed slovenly and not presentable at all.

But Bayern Munich came to them on their own initiative; Klopp didn't have to beg them.

Even so, Klopp was still like a stray dog ​​on the side of the road, kicked away.

Tell me, who wouldn't hate it?
Wang Shuo was not a firsthand witness, but surprisingly, he empathized with Klopp.

Agent Thomas Essien told him that after several contacts with Bayern Munich, the club seemed arrogant and condescending.

For example, they wanted Wang Shuo to join Bayern Munich, but refused to promise him playing time or even give him a raise.

Because Bayern Munich has many talented young players like Wang Shuo, they are worried that if Wang Shuo gets a raise, others will also want to get a raise, which is not Bayern's style.

The phrase they said most often was, "Remember, you're joining Bayern Munich!"

Perhaps, in Germany, the vast majority of people would be proud to join Bayern Munich.

But Wang Shuo is definitely not included!

Klopp clearly realized that he had lost his temper and immediately calmed himself down, bringing the topic back on track.

"Besides the German Cup final, we have another thing to do next, which is the league."

"We absolutely cannot continue losing like this, otherwise, we'll collapse before the German Cup final even arrives!"

Klopp said he and his coaching staff are considering adjusting the team's tactics.

Simply put, it means minimizing player movement and adjusting the high-pressing defensive strategy.

The match against Bayer Leverkusen made Mainz realize that they might also face a situation where they are completely overwhelmed by Bayern Munich in the final.

This requires the team to organize a more rigorous defense.

Bayern Munich is much stronger than Bayer Leverkusen.

There's Ribery on the left wing, and world-class center forwards like Luca Toni and Klose in the middle.

At that time, Mainz will face even greater pressure.

Wang Shuo understood.

Klopp's hatred for Bayern Munich has led him to temporarily set aside some of his principles and adopt more pragmatic measures.

"In the coming period, we really need someone to step up and play the key role in the locker room, to help me stabilize morale, adjust the team's strength, and give everyone confidence."

"I believe, Wang, you are the best candidate!"

"Therefore, I hope you can step forward."

Klopp's request surprised Wang Shuo.

This is an affirmation of him, and also a sign of his high regard.

Normally, this is something that Captain Nowitzki should do.

But Klopp has now handed it over to him.

This is an affirmation of him.

"I understand. I'll discuss it with the captain and organize a dinner party this week. I'll think of a way."

There is one competition per week, and there is usually a one-day holiday.

Wang Shuo can arrange team activities at his leisure.

Klopp was very satisfied with Wang Shuo's statement.

Just as Wang Shuo stood up to say goodbye and leave, he suddenly remembered something when he reached the door, turned around, and grinned at Klopp.

"Boss."

Klopp looked at Wang Shuo, who had turned around, with surprise.

"Actually, a very important reason why Mainz has failed to beat Bayern for over a hundred years is that I haven't arrived yet!"

Klopp was stunned on the spot.

"Since I came, you've seen it too. From 1-3 to 1-1, we've been making progress."

"Therefore, we will definitely win this German Cup final in Berlin!"

"For the first time in the club's 100-year history, we have defeated Bayern Munich and won the national championship for the first time!"

"It has such special significance!"

After saying that, Wang Shuo smiled, turned around and left.

He discovered that not only do players need confidence, but Klopp needs it too.

Klopp behind him chuckled, "That arrogant brat!"

Klopp understood Wang Shuo's feelings.

You can also feel Wang Shuo's determination.

Because the two of them are the same kind of people at heart!

People who came out of the mountains and forests!
……

Bruchweg Stadium, afternoon of December 3.

In the 29th round of the Bundesliga, Mainz will host Werder Bremen.

Of the four consecutive losses, apart from Hannover 96, the other teams were mostly ranked in the top 7 of the league.

In this round, they faced Werder Bremen, who were ranked 11th, and Mainz regained some of their form and stability.

Especially after a week of rest, the players' condition and physical fitness have recovered significantly.

Defeating Bayer Leverkusen and making history by reaching the German Cup final has given Mainz a boost of confidence and motivation.

The team also organized a dinner party during the week.

No one from the coaching staff or management was involved; it was just the players themselves.

During this dinner, everyone spoke freely, sharing their thoughts on the team's current situation, expressing their dissatisfaction, and even criticizing the coaching staff or management.

Ultimately, the players are quite satisfied with the current situation.

Before the season, everyone thought Mainz would be a favorite to avoid relegation.

Borussia Mönchengladbach, the reigning 2. Bundesliga champions, have been struggling to avoid relegation this season.

More importantly, although Mainz has been plagued by injuries this season, with some players suffering repeated injuries, none of them have been seriously injured so far.

Veterans like Pekovic and Calhanoglu, who were initially a cause for concern, are still able to continue playing.

Everyone knew in their hearts that this was because Wang Shuo was there to protect them.

A forward who runs an average of 12 kilometers per game is at the forefront, like holding up an umbrella to shield everyone behind him from the wind and rain.

In any team's locker room, seniority is the norm.

But it is also a very pragmatic place that looks at the players' contributions.

In Liverpool, even at the same age of 18, some young players still have to polish the boots of their older teammates.

Kyrie Irving was already one of the locker room leaders.

At the age of 18, Ronaldo not only represented Brazil in the 94 World Cup, but also began to shoulder the responsibility for the future of Brazilian football, and became a pillar of the Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.

In Mainz, the words of 18-year-old Wang Shuo naturally carry weight.

The situation in Mainz has improved, but Werder Bremen is facing many problems.

Key player Diego will be sidelined for a week due to a back strain.

Mesut also suffered an injury and missed a week.

The simultaneous absence of two key midfielders has left Werder Bremen coach Schaaf with some constraints in his lineup.

As a result, the two teams remained deadlocked for an hour during the match at Bruchweg Stadium.

Schaaf was actually determined to beat the struggling Mainz and secure the three points.

Therefore, in the 22nd minute of the first half, with Pekovic injured and Kirchhoff coming on as a substitute, he substituted Austrian center forward Martin Harnik for defender Prödl at halftime.

This attacking maverick has assembled Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro, Austrian striker Martin Harnik, and Swedish striker Rosenborg in the frontcourt.

But it was precisely this substitution that led to Werder Bremen's mistake in the 61st minute.

Heller made a run down the right flank and passed the ball to Schürrle just past the center line.

Hainaul ran quickly over, received Schürrle's pass, and then played a through ball to the right side of the penalty area behind the defense.

With one less defender, Werder Bremen's defense was breached by Schürrle using his speed.

The Mainz youngster received the ball on the right side of the penalty area, forced his way to the byline, and then passed it back in a low, triangular pass to the center of the six-yard box.

At this moment, Wang Shuo, who had deliberately slowed down, caught up and took a shot directly at Schürrle's cross.

The ball nestled into the bottom left corner of Werder Bremen's goal!
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

"Mainz seized an opportunity, and after missing several chances, Wang Shuo finally scored."

"1 to 0!"

"This was a breakthrough from the right flank."

"Schürrle and Hainaul executed a very beautiful one-two pass."

"Wang Shuo also handled it very cleverly. He deliberately lagged behind a bit, and then suddenly cut in from behind to get in front and kick."

……

Ultimately, Mainz defeated Werder Bremen 1-0 thanks to Wang Shuo's goal in the 61st minute.

This was the team's first three points in a four-game losing streak, ending their losing streak.

Although the team's overall performance was still not outstanding, and they also paid the price of Pekovic's injury and departure from the game, it is still commendable to get 3 points overall.

On the contrary, another dark horse, Hoffenheim, suffered a crushing 0-4 defeat to Wolfsburg away from home this round.

Wolfsburg's Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko scored a hat-trick in just 13 minutes, from the 65th to the 78th minute of the second half.

Grafite finally converted a penalty just before the end of the match.

Hoffenheim's performance in this match was exactly the same as the collapses that Klopp's Mainz often experienced.

After exhausting their physical strength, they couldn't keep up with the pace and were taken down by their opponents in one fell swoop.

And it happened in a short period of time.

Hertha Berlin drew 1-1 with Hamburg in this round of matches.

Stuttgart also drew 2-2 with Bielefeld away from home.

Therefore, Mainz has returned to the top three thanks to these 3 points.

Wolfsburg currently tops the rankings, with Bayern Munich close behind.

This has also sparked speculation among Mainz's management.

In the locker room after the match against Werder Bremen, club president Strutz gave the players very high praise for their performance.

At the same time, everyone was encouraged to keep up the good work.

"If we can maintain our current league ranking, we will once again set a new record for Mainz!"

"Then this season will be Mainz's greatest season ever!"

"It might even become the most legendary season in Bundesliga history!"

But when Strutz said this, Christian Heidel, who was standing next to him, looked visibly embarrassed.

……

"Your Majesty, have you noticed?"

"Heidel's expression was very strange when Chairman Strutz was speaking just now."

Schürrle found it somewhat baffling.

Chairman Strutz is right.

It's truly legendary that so many historic records have all occurred in the same season.

But why does Haider look so strange?
"That feeling is like...like..."

Schürrle thought and thought, and finally came up with a rather fitting adjective.

"It's like constipation!"

Wang Shuo burst out laughing on the spot.

Foyle, Hainaul, and others burst into laughter.

But it must be said that this description is indeed very apt.

That was Haider's expression.

"You're asking me? How would I know? I don't have constipation."

Wang Shuo casually brushed it off.

But he actually knew the reason.

I just can't say it.

……

At almost the same time, in the chairman's office in Mainz, Strutz finally pushed Heidel's hand away.

"Christian, why are you pulling at me like that?"

"what's the situation?"

Haider had just closed the door and walked over, looking distressed.

The chairman of Mainz has been in charge of the team for many years, but since he took over as general manager, he has simply become a hands-off manager and stopped doing his job.

As the son of the mayor—no, the former mayor—Haidel expressed his genuine concern!
But he wanted to say it, yet he didn't know how.

"What on earth happened?"

Heidel looked intently at Strutz and decided to just be direct.

"Now that the team is doing well, we have a lot of problems."

"how is this possible?"

"How many goals has Wang Shuo scored so far?"

“26,” Strutz blurted out.

He's always remembered that.

"The contract we signed with him includes bonus clauses for goals and assists."

Struts was stunned for a moment before realizing that the club had to pay for every attack and assist Wang Shuo made.

Now, looking at those 26 goals... are they still goals?

It's all money!

"This is just a small matter."

"That……"

What constitutes a major event?
“In our original contract with Wang Shuo, the bonus for winning the championship was set very high, and the bonus for participating in the Champions League and entering the Europa League was also quite high.”

Struts looked at Heidel in disbelief, and then he understood why Heidel looked so constipated.

"No, why didn't you think this through when you designed the contract?"

Haider was speechless. "Chairman, you should speak with a clear conscience."

"How could I not have thought it through? My lawyer and I have reviewed it several times."

"Think about it, we're a newly promoted team. Isn't the prize money for winning the championship just for show? Aren't the Champions League and Europa League qualification spots just for show too?"

As a striker, it's perfectly normal to receive bonuses for goals and assists.

There are also appearance fees.

This is a clause that appears in the contracts of all professional players.

“You know how strong Wang Shuo’s momentum was back then. In order to keep him, we didn’t dare to delay with him and signed him before the end of the season.”

"In order to persuade him to accept an annual salary of 80 euros, we have to offer him more benefits in other areas?"

Haider said he felt very wronged and aggrieved.

Honestly, who could have imagined that Mainz would perform so well this season?
If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have signed this kind of clause even if I had offered Wang Shuo an annual salary of 150 million euros.

Is it too late to regret it now?

How much is your prize money if you win the championship?

Struts picked up the water glass on his desk, wanting to drink some water to calm his nerves.

"100."

"puff!"

Struts turned to Haider incredulously. "One million? RMB?"

"EUR!"

"My God, you couldn't even sell me for that much money."

"We've never won the Bundesliga or the German Cup before, who would have thought?" Heidel was speechless.

He can't exactly run out and tell the players, "Maybe we shouldn't try to win the championship."

Isn't that even more absurd?
Moreover, there is a generous prize for winning the championship.

"What about the Champions League and the Europa League?"

"The Champions League is 50, and the Europa League is 30."

Strutz paced back and forth in his office, unable to sit still.

In other words, based on the prospects he just promised in the locker room, if the team wins the German Cup and qualifies for the Champions League, Wang Shuo alone will receive a bonus of 150 million euros.

Good heavens, what kind of international joke is this?

But can this be blamed on Haider?
That's impossible!

At the time, Wang Shuo's annual salary of 80 euros was indeed not high.

Subotic is priced at this level.

Then look at Subotic, who switched to Dortmund and his annual salary doubled.

The only thing to blame is that Mainz is too poor!
"So, Christian, tell me, do you now hope we win or lose the German Cup final?"

Strutz looked at Haider speechlessly.

Although the runner-up also gets paid, it's only half, which is alright.

Haider thought for a moment and said with a wry smile, "Of course we'll win!"

This is called experiencing pain and pleasure simultaneously.

"What about the Champions League or the Europa League?"

"Of course we have to make it. If we make it to the Champions League group stage, we'll get at least ten or twenty million euros. Then we'll rent a stadium from Frankfurt to play in the Champions League."

Why?

Large capacity means more tickets are sold.

Bundesliga ticket prices are controlled, but Champions League ticket prices are not.

Of course, this is on the premise that we can make it to the group stage.

The third-placed team in the Bundesliga will have to participate in the play-offs. If they fail to advance to the group stage, the benefits will be much less.

"How many players on our team have these kinds of bonus clauses or Champions League/Europa League clauses?"

“There are several winning clauses, like Hainaur’s, but his bonuses are not high. Only Wang Shuo has the Champions League and Europa League clauses.”

Haider gave a bitter, wry smile as he finished speaking.

“I secretly had someone do the math, and we definitely don’t have the money to pay Wang Shuo’s bonus.”

No money to pay?
How to do?
Let's owe it to him for now!
"Has any team been willing to make an offer for Wang Shuo recently?" Struts asked with concern.

Once you sell him and receive the transfer fee, you'll have money, right?

"Have."

"How's the price you offered?"

"None of them are high, considering the current purchasing power of the Bundesliga."

Strutz was somewhat annoyed. "What about Bayern?"

“Bayern have been in contact, starting with Hoeness’s initial offer of 500 million euros, then 1000 million euros during the winter break, and now it has risen to 1500 million euros, but they refuse to increase it any further.”

"Hoeneß said that this has already broken the Bundesliga record for transfer fees for U23 young players."

Currently, the highest transfer fee record for a player under 23 years old in the Bundesliga is held by Czech player Tomas Rosicky.

He joined Borussia Dortmund in January 2001 for €14.5 million.

Bayern Munich?

Bayern Munich's highest bid for a player under 20 years old was in 08 for Brazilian center-back Breno, which cost 800 million euros.

Bayern Munich has always been a master at shrewdly exploiting German teams.

Their specialty is persuading players to demand transfers, then using that as an opportunity to drive down prices and force negotiating partners to comply.

This tactic of the Bundesliga champions has proven consistently effective.

Sometimes they can even transfer freely.

Strutz felt like scratching his head.

Even though everything is going well, something just feels off.

As he pondered this, he, like Haider, wore a pained expression, as if he were constipated.

……

Bundesliga Round 31.

As the season draws to a close, the competition among the teams has become increasingly fierce.

Bayer Leverkusen drew 2-2 with Arminia Bielefeld at home.

Friedrich scored an own goal.

Bayern Munich defeated Energie Cottbus 3-1 away from home.

Wolfsburg lost 1-4 to Stuttgart away in this round.

Mario Gomez scored four goals.

This German striker is now determined to join Bayern Munich, but Bayern is unwilling to offer a high price for Gomez and has been negotiating with Stuttgart.

Moreover, Bayern Munich currently has forwards such as Luca Toni, Klose, and Podolski.

Therefore, Gomez is now putting in extra effort, hoping to convince Bayern through better performances.

Borussia Dortmund defeated Kaiserslautern 4-0 at home in this round.

However, after a resounding victory at home, head coach Christopher Daum announced early on that he would leave Dortmund at the end of the season to coach Fenerbahce in Türkiye.

According to German media reports, Daum chose to leave not only because of conflicts with the Dortmund management, but more importantly because Fenerbahce offered him a much higher salary than Dortmund.

Daum's move has also drawn strong criticism from Borussia Dortmund fans.

After all, the Hornets' performance this season has not been outstanding.

Mainz will face Hoffenheim away in this round.

The two struggling teams ultimately drew 1-1.

In the 68th minute of the second half, Demba Ba scored for Hoffenheim.

But in the 79th minute, Wang Shuo received an assist from Hajnal and equalized for Mainz.

Both sides were evenly matched, with both having around 60 minutes of stamina.

60 minutes later?

Wish yourself luck!
Hertha Berlin defeated Bochum 2-0 at home.

This caused Mainz to drop out of the top three.

……

The Bundesliga will see its 32nd round of matches midweek.

Bayern Munich will host Bayer Leverkusen at home.

With goals from Luca Toni, Ribery and Podolski, they defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 at home.

All three goals came at the start of the second half.

Wolfsburg defeated Dortmund 3-0 thanks to a brace from Dzeko and a goal from Grafite.

Daum's early resignation has severely damaged Dortmund's morale.

In addition, the Hornets were also plagued by problems during the midweek game.

Mainz will be playing at home against Hertha Berlin in this round.

The two teams are currently ranked third and fourth respectively, both fighting for a top-three finish.

In the 42nd minute of the first half, Wang Shuo assisted Hajnal to break through Hertha Berlin's goal.

Even when he is closely marked by the opponent, Wang Shuo can still help the team through his running and passing.

Or it could be assisting a teammate in scoring a goal.

But in the 53rd minute of the second half, Hertha Berlin managed to equalize.

The score remained 1-1.

Especially after 70 minutes.

Despite playing at home, the midweek match, coupled with Mainz's consistent weaknesses, left Klopp's team on the back foot.

Only Wang Shuo was running ahead.

They are constantly creating opportunities.

But neither side was able to score again.

"The game is about to end."

"The fourth official on the sidelines raised the sign indicating two minutes of added time in the second half."

"It should be said that although the match was very intense, it proceeded relatively smoothly."

"Actually, both sides are basically unable to run anymore at this point."

"A draw is an acceptable result for both teams."

"Neither Mainz nor Hertha Berlin are big teams."

"Playing three league games in a week, the midweek matches are indeed a big test for them."

As stoppage time began, Hertha Berlin attempted to launch an attack.

But after entering the center circle, Kirschhof successfully intercepted the ball.

Although the young midfielder's performance was not stable enough and he lacked some experience, Kirchhoff's defensive ability was still very strong.

After intercepting the ball, he immediately sent a diagonal pass to Feulner on the left flank of the attacking third.

Feulner received the ball with his back to the direction of the attack, unable to turn around, and was forced to pass it back to Van der Heyden.

When the aging Van der Heyden received the ball on the left side of the midfield line, Wang Shuo happened to drop back from the front to receive it.

"Wang Shuo can really run."

"He was receiving the ball on the right wing just now, and now we see him running to the left wing to receive it again."

"Mainz found a way to pass the ball out."

"Van der Haden passed the ball to Wang Shuo."

"Wang Shuo turned and dribbled the ball sideways, then passed it across to Hainaur."

"But Hainaur passed the ball back to Wang Shuo, who had just turned around."

"Charge forward with the ball!"

"Let's see if Mainz has a chance this time?"

"Wang Shuo dribbled past a defender, but he continued to dribble forward."

"Another one passed!"

"My God, Wang Shuo is still teaching."

"Wang Shuo has already dribbled the ball to the edge of the penalty area."

"Hertha Berlin didn't dare to commit any fouls easily in this area."

"Wang Shuo acted very quickly!"

"Pass straight behind!"

"He finally passed the ball!"

"Barjak!!!"

Goal!

"Bayerk, who came on as a substitute for Schürrle in the second half, seized the opportunity and broke through Hertha Berlin's goal!"

"Wang Shuo's brilliant assist helped Mainz score again!"

"2 to 1!"

"Many Bundesliga fans probably don't know who Baljak is!"

"This striker has not performed well for Mainz this season, and has not even received much attention, not even as well as the young Schürrle."

"However, all fans familiar with Mainz will never forget it."

"In last season's 2. Bundesliga, it was the brilliant combination and consecutive goals between Wang Shuo and Baljak that helped Mainz make a comeback at the last moment of the league and successfully enter the Bundesliga!"

"At this moment, it's as if we're seeing the same teamwork and performance that the two players had last season."

"Let's take another look at this slow-motion replay."

"After receiving the ball facing the goal, Wang Shuo decisively started his run, dribbled past two defenders, and then took advantage of the chaos to send a through ball. Baljak ran into position with great understanding."

"In crucial moments, it's still this old duo who really shines!"

"2 to 1!"

"Mainz scored at a crucial moment, with Wang Shuo assisting Baljak to break the deadlock!"

……

This weekend, the 33rd round of the Bundesliga will take place at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg.

When referee Lafati blew the whistle to start the match, the Mainz players, led by Wang Shuo, launched a fierce attack on the Hamburg team.

This is Klopp's starting tactic for this match.

This is also Mainz's signature style of play: attacking aggressively from the start!
Moreover, it was a rapid, whirlwind-style attack.

Although Martin Jol is a Dutch team, their overall strategy is mainly based on counter-attacking.

Faced with this tactic, Hamburg was not only at a disadvantage in terms of the situation, but also in a rather chaotic manner.

In an instant, they were pinned back in Mainz's own half.

The situation is exactly the same as in the German Cup semi-final, where Leverkusen dominated Mainz.

The only difference is that Leverkusen has center forwards like Kiessling and Helmes, so when they are pressing Mainz, they almost want to keep their opponents inside the penalty area so that they can make the most of their center forwards.

However, Mainz primarily employs a strangulation tactic in the area from the penalty area to 30 meters out.

Because Wang Shuo needs some space to exert his threat.

Klopp's tactic proved remarkably effective in just nine minutes.

The two sides battled for possession on Mainz's left flank, and Feulner seized an opportunity.

The German striker delivered a long, lobbed pass with his right foot, sending the ball directly to the penalty area near the penalty spot behind the Hamburg defense.

Wang Shuo, who was lurking outside the penalty area, suddenly shook off Demer and quickly moved forward. After rushing to the penalty spot, before the ball could hit the ground, he turned and shot directly before Dutch center-back Mathijsen could reach it.

He unleashed a powerful volley with his right foot.

This shot was as powerful as lightning, piercing through Rost's goal at incredible speed and finding the right side of Hamburg's net.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"

"Just nine minutes into the game, Wang Shuo opened the scoring for Mainz!"

An excited Wang Shuo ran across the People's Park stadium, celebrating his goal incessantly.

At this moment, countless people are hoping that Mainz can continue their efforts and press their advantage.

But no one expected that after an initial attacking run, Klopp's team would suddenly change tactics and switch to a defensive counter-attacking style.

They've retreated!

Yes, you read that right, they really retreated!

This was unbelievable even to Martin Joel.

Is this still the Klopp that everyone knows?
But that's just how strange things are.

To Hamburg's embarrassment, after their opponent scored a surprise goal, the entire team retreated to defend, and the North Kings still couldn't find a way to break through.

There were hardly any threatening attacks.

Not only were Guerrero and Olic unable to pose a threat, but at halftime, Martin Jol substituted Polish midfielder Trochowski for defender Atuba to further strengthen the attack.

The result was still to no avail.

Hamburg then made several substitutions, further intensifying their attack.

By the 70th minute, Martin Jol had already used all three of his substitutions.

At this moment, Hamburg even adopted a three-defender formation on the field, with the rest of the team launching a full-scale attack.

Even so, they still couldn't effectively break through Mainz's defensive formation.

As it turns out, Klopp, who was originally a defender, is not incapable of setting up a defense.

He just didn't want to back down.

In the end, Mainz defeated Hamburg 1-0 away from home.

After the match, almost all German media outlets analyzed that Klopp played this game to test tactics for the upcoming German Cup final.

By leveraging the offensive prowess of the Peking University team, we can test the team's ability to withstand defensive pressure.

After all, Hamburg and Bayern Munich were evenly matched in the German Cup semi-final.

However, Bayern Munich was also testing out their formation in another match.

As a result, Klinsmann's team was held to a 2-2 draw by Hoffenheim away from home.

All four goals were scored in the first half.

In the second half, when Bayern began to exert their strength, they couldn't break through Hoffenheim's goal.

Wolfsburg thrashed Hannover 96 5-0 away from home this round, thanks to a hat-trick from Dzeko and a brace from Grafite.

……

On May 23, the final round of the Bundesliga saw nine matches played simultaneously.

Mainz will host Bochum, who have already secured their place in the league.

Klopp's team once again adopted a strong attacking approach from the start.

In just 8 minutes, Wang Shuo broke through Bochum's goal.

In the 24th minute, Wang Shuo assisted Hajnal to score another goal.

In less than half an hour, Mainz had already taken a two-goal lead and had essentially secured the victory.

The rest of the game was essentially over.

Mainz needs to conserve energy for the German Cup final a week later.

Bochum has no need to continue its deadly struggle with Mainz.

Bayern Munich's victory against Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena was extremely close.

Ultimately, thanks to an own goal by Boulahrouz and a goal by Van Bommel, they narrowly defeated Stuttgart 2-1.

Wolfsburg thrashed Werder Bremen 5-1 at home thanks to a brace from Grafite.

With this, all 34 rounds of Bundesliga matches have concluded.

Magath's Wolfsburg ultimately won the Bundesliga title this season with 69 points.

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, is ranked second in the Bundesliga with 67 points.

Mainz finished third in the Bundesliga with 64 points from 19 wins, 7 draws and 8 losses.

Although they are ranked below Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich, this is Mainz's highest league ranking ever.

Most importantly, Mainz secured a Champions League spot for next season.

They just need to play in the qualifying rounds.

Aside from the top three, the next three ranked as follows: Stuttgart in 4th place, Hertha Berlin in 5th place, and Borussia Dortmund in 6th place.

Next up are Hamburg, Hoffenheim, Schalke 04, and Bayer Leverkusen.

In the top scorers list, Wang Shuo ultimately topped the Bundesliga scoring charts with 29 goals.

He also has 13 assists, placing him in the top three of the Bundesliga assist charts, behind only Wolfsburg's Misimovic and Werder Bremen's Mesut.

Below Wang Shuo are Wolfsburg's two center forwards.

Thanks to a series of spectacular victories in the final rounds, Grafite has 28 goals and Dzeko has 26 goals, ranking second and third in the top scorers list respectively.

With this, the Bundesliga season has come to a close.

Only Mainz and Bayern Munich have begun their final preparations for the German Cup final.

For Wang Shuo, this season has been a very rewarding one!

As soon as the season ended, he began to examine the results of his efforts over the past half-season and, incidentally, upgrade his skills so that he could be in top form for the German Cup final!

(End of this chapter)